Howdy! My name is Becky Demeter and I’m the Proudest Member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 1975. I’m the first President of the Federation of Texas A&M Mothers’ Clubs that has said that.

When I came to A&M in 1971 I was one of a very few females; we weren’t well liked. The Corps thought women at A&M would cause the world to end, as they knew it. I know how the women at VMI felt. Somehow, we survived and the University thrived. Today, I believe female students make-up 47% of the students on campus. The professors I had have died, retired or moved. None really stick out in my mind as the reason I am the person I am today.

When my oldest son came to A&M in 2002, it was a much different school than I remembered. The buildings had changed; in fact my mom said “they’d moved buildings on her.” The school was still a large university with a small university feel. Students cared about students, professors cared about students. When I asked my son if he had one professor who he remembered fondly, he mentioned a History prof, but this class wasn’t a defining moment in Christopher’s life.

Then I talked to my youngest son. Ethan came to Texas A&M in 2004 and graduated in May 2008 with a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering. His immediate response to the professor question was: “Mom there is one person who made me what I am. This prof may burnout because he’s always available to the students. The research I did with this guy made me think I really needed to continue my education rather than go right into industry. This man helps everyone; he talked to me about my future and led me to my current Doctorial program. By writing my recommendation letter, by talking to the professor at Carnegie Mellon, I got this chance to do research that may help with environmental problems in the near future.”

This professor hasn’t been at A&M very long. Both he and his wife received PhDs from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA. Both of these people work with and help the graduate students and undergrads that wander the halls of the Chemical Engineering building. Because this man led my son to a happy and fulfilling graduate career and a potential happy and productive future, I dedicate my Yearbook to Dr. Carl Laird.